Cyberpunk story 'Johnny Mnemonic' being adapted for television

One of the earliest stories of the science fiction cyberpunk sub-genre is being primed for television.

Seven Arts and Prodigy Pictures announced their intention to bring the work of one of the genre's most influential authors, William Gibson, to the small screen. Gibson's "Johnny Mnemonic" short story paved the way for his trilogy of cyberpunk novels "Count Zero," "Mona Lisa Overdrive" and the classic "Neuromancer."

"We are delighted to expand our relationship with Prodigy Pictures, which has had stellar successes in television and mini-series production," said Seven Arts' CEO Peter Hoffman. "Jay [Firestone of Prodigy Pictures] has been prominent in the area of international television production for over 20 years with a wide array of important relationships. Jay shares our enthusiasm for all three projects. He has already attached well-known television writers who were part of the successful 'Stargate' series to 'Johnny Mnemonic'."

Some may remember the anemic and at times laughably bad "Johnny Mnemonic" film adaptation, starring Keanu Reeves as the titular courier tasked with transporting the cure for a deadly disease in his computer chip brain. Ice-T, Dolph Lundgren, and Henry Rollins rounded out the colorful cast of what wound up being an underwhelming science fiction effort.

Seven Arts already has its thumb on the pulse of another anticipated project based on Gibson's work, as "Cube" director Vincenzo Natali is currently gearing up to adapt "Neuromancer" for the big screen. Hopefully the studio has a better line-up of talent to more faithfully adapt what are true modern classics of the science-fiction genre.

In cyberpunk genre, better than Johnny Mnemonic was only Nirvana with Cristopher Lambert. The Matrix trilogy is not cyberpunk, only sci-fi with cyberpunk elements. Specifically themes of free will of AI.

Anonymous

Message Posted On Apr 27th, 2013, 3:32 am

"Some may remember the anemic and at times laughably bad "Johnny Mnemonic" film adaptation, starring Keanu Reeves as the titular courier tasked with transporting the cure for a deadly disease in his computer chip brain. Ice-T, Dolph Lundgren, and Henry Rollins rounded out the colorful cast of what wound up being an underwhelming science fiction effort." Better than 99.9% of modern television and film. Which says a LOT about the low standards modern society accepts as "quality".